Bucs Iconic Legend Lee Roy Selmon Being Honored

Selmon wore this helmet during his final campaign, a year in which he earned his sixth Pro Bowl selection.

Lee Roy Selmon the most renowned player in the lures of Tampa Bay Buccaneer history and the only Buccaneer in the Hall of Fame will be honored at half time today of the Green Bay Packers game. Selmon the first ever draft pick of the franchise in 1976 and number one overall selection in the draft, holds the record for the most sacks as a Buc. Even though sacks were not an official statistic kept by the NFL until the 1982 season Selmon finished his career with 78.5 sacks.

A member of the 1979 team that defied logic and went from worst-to-first built around a suffocating defense led by Selmon, the Bucs were one win a way from the Superbowl. The ’79 defense gave up an average of 14.8 points per game, 267.4 yards per game, but saved their best performance for the last game of the regular season, when they held the Kansas City Chiefs to a total of 102 yards of offense to preserve a 3-0 win to clinch the NFC Norris Division title.

Bucs first Hall of Famer

Selmon started 117 games of the 121 games he played in during his nine year career with the Buccaneers. A six-time Pro Bowl selection and one-time Pro Bowl MVP, Selmon went to six straight Pro Bowls from 1979-1984. After sitting out the 1985 season due to nagging back problems Selmon retired at the conclusion of the ’85 season.

By 1978, many considered him among the game’s best. Selmon is recognized among the elite NFL defenders of his era with career totals of: 78 1/2 sacks, 380 quarterback pressures, 28 ½ forced fumbles, recovered 10 fumbles, voted an All-Pro in 1979, 1980, 1982, an All-NFC five times and named NFL Defensive Lineman of Year, in 1979.